This invention relates generally to drainage systems and more particularly to drainage devices for use in providing a flow path below basement floors for water seeping in between foundation walls and footing to prevent water leakage onto basement floors.
A problem in many basements is that of wet or damp basement floors caused by water seeping under the foundation wall and flowing up between the foundation wall and the basement floor. It is not practical, or even desirable, to prevent water from seeping under the foundation wall. Water pressure build up behind the wall can damage the wall. Therefore, drainage systems are used to provide a flow path for water entering between the foundation wall and footing to a sump, thus preventing the water from flowing up between the foundation wall and basement floor.
Presently available drainage systems include drainage devices in the form of tiles, over which the basement concrete floor is poured. Prior drainage devices, such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 329,297 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,716, have a flat wall member and a plurality of feet extending downward therefrom and engaging the footing to create flow paths for the water between the floor and footing. My own U.S. Pat. No. 5,775,039 (the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference) discloses a drainage tile that is clear so that the passages under the drainage tile can be inspected just prior to pouring concrete to locate any blockage that could prevent water from flowing along the footing as desired. Any blockage that is seen can be removed prior to pouring the concrete. The drainage tiles come in sections that are smaller in length than the length of a footing. Therefore, the tiles have to overlay each other to span the entire length of the footing without gaps in the water flow passage.